Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Steven Little

Abstract

The number of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases has surged in the U.S. educational system since the mid-2000s. At the same, paraprofessionals who work with these students are not being given adequate training, especially in how to implement applied behavior analytic services. To address paraprofessional's inadequate training, new behavioral treatments have surfaced, including Video Self-Modeling (VSM). VSM is an effective intervention tool derived heavily from Bandura's social learning theory. VSM uses edited video clips in which paraprofessionals view him or herself correctly performing target skills. This study used a single-subject, modified multiple baseline design to evaluate whether VSM could improve the accuracy of procedural integrity when implementing DTI. A sample of 5 novice paraprofessionals was used; all participants worked directly with ASD students with 6 months to 2 years experience, supported an ASD student in an inclusive setting for at least 75% of the school day, and had no previous training in DTI. Three of the 5 participants exhibited immediate and significant gains in DTI implementation, and those gains were maintained during follow-up. One participant demonstrated moderate gain during the follow-up. To determine effective significance, visual analysis, combined with level of performance, non-overlapping data points, and effect sizes were used. VSM treatment was rated as an acceptable treatment according to the social validity scale and the Intervention Rating Profile (IRP-15). This study contributes to positive social change by offering a viable treatment approach that can be used to train paraprofessionals who instruct students with ASD.

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